Tudurs and Tudors

In early January 1283 the royal army laid siege to Dolwyddelan in North Wales. On the 16th the keeper of the Wardrobe summoned eleven masons to start work on re-fortifying the castle as soon as it was taken.

Two days later the castle fell. A brief note in the record of building works states:

'And let it be remembered that the king's men first entered [Dolwyddelan] castle on Monday 18th January'.

Dolwyddelan may have surrendered at once, or even by prior arrangement. A wage account that starts on 5 December notes the presence of Tudur ap Gruffudd, constable of Dolwyddelan, at the royal court for twelve days. This is likely to be a scribal error for Gruffudd ap Tudur, who served as royal constable of the castle from at least 1284.

Gruffudd and his brother Tudur were the sons of Tudur ap Madog, a long-serving minister of Prince Dafydd ap Llywelyn and Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. The family had received considerable grants and privileges from the princes, including immunity from services and renders on their lands – 'gwelyau' – at Dindaethwy.

It is notable, however, that neither of Tudur's sons appeared in the service of Prince Llywelyn. Gruffudd remained constable of Dolwyddelan until 1294, when he switched sides again and briefly joined the revolt of Prince Madog ap Llywelyn.

He seems to have survived the revolt: a man of the same name appears as rhaglaw (bailiff) of Tegeingl in the Cheshire Pipe Rolls for the turn of the century. His brother Tudur was granted the vill of Penhwnllys on Anglesey in 1284, and a further royal grant of £20 in 1290, both for good service. Tudur's co-heirs were still in possession in 1352.